Private Edwin Victor Harris, 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment

Lincolnshire Regiment Badge

Edwin Victor Harris enlisted into the 15th Training Reserve Battalion in Great Glen. He was later transferred to the Leicestershire Regiment (No38080) and eventually into the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment (No.42348) . He died on Thursday 4th October 1917 aged 19.

He was born on 9th July 1898 in Great Glen and was the son of Edwin and Hannah Haycock Harris (nee Easom). In 1901 the family lived in School Street, Great Glen, next door to William and Susan Grain who also lost their son John Edward, in 1916. Also included in the family were 4 year old Harold and 1 year old Cecil. Edwin senior was a joiner.

Regimental Silk Postcard

It is possible that during his time in the Lincolns Edwin could have sent home a silk postcard or a regimental sweetheart badge to a local girl or to his mother.

Sweetheart Badge WW1

October 3rd 1917 saw the Battalion moved to Zillebeke during the afternoon. Tea was provided on arrival. They were then issued with bombs, rifles, grenades, flares, signal rockets & sand bags. At 8.30pm they moved to Polygon Wood and dug in for the night. Heavy German artillery fire commenced and the battle continued over three days during which 24 other ranks were killed 167 wounded and 34 missing. Edwin Harris was killed on the first day.

Panel Close-up

As with many thousands of others Edwin has no known grave and is dedicated on a panel at the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.
Details of how to get to the memorial can be obtained by clicking on to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site link.

View of Panel

Tyne Cot Memorial

Edwin was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal